Amid rising customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance, Walt Disney World has been quietly reducing admission and hotel prices over recent months.
Beginning in May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors to explore Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, while tickets to Magic Kingdom remain sold separately. These lower ticket prices, valid through September 24, mark a significant reduction from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In parallel, Disney has aimed to lower overall trip costs by cutting prices for its most affordable hotel accommodations. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be booked for as low as $100, depending on the timing, reflecting discounts of up to 27% from usual rates, based on a Bloomberg analysis.
This summer, the parks have also rolled out new dining packages that lower meal costs by 20% to 30%. Families can opt for all-day meal passes priced at $30 for children and $95 for adults, which can be used for select meals and snacks throughout the parks. Additionally, Disney World is reportedly offering more quick-service meal options, cheaper children’s food, and more flexible dining policies.
Experts note that the rising costs of on-site dining have been a significant contributor to the decline in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, mentioned that customer satisfaction ratings dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals in many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the value of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he also indicated that this trend may not signify a genuine commitment to affordability or enhancing guest satisfaction. He remarked, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”